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Sami Hyypia
Sami Tuomas Hyypiä (born 7 October 1973) is a retired Finnish footballer who played for Liverpool from 1999-2009. Liverpool career In 1999 Hyypiä was bought by Liverpool, the team he supported as a boy, for £2.6 million, having been recommended to former chief executive Peter Robinson by a TV cameraman. Upon his arrival, Hyypiä immediately formed a successful central defensive partnership with fellow arrival Stéphane Henchoz. In the 2000–01 season, Hyypiä shared the captaincy of Liverpool with Robbie Fowler while Jamie Redknapp, the full-time captain, was suffering from a long-term injury. During that season, Hyypiä and Fowler led the team to a historic cup treble: the League Cup, FA Cup, and UEFA Cup. In 2002, Hyypiä became the full-time Liverpool captain after Redknapp, who had been blighted by long-term injuries, and Fowler both left the club. However after such a bright start to his Liverpool career came a relative lull and in 2003 Hyypiä was replaced as Liverpool captain by Steven Gerrard. In 2004, new Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez moved Jamie Carragher from fullback to partner Hyypiä in central defence. This seemingly reinvigorated Hyypiä and the team went on to have a successful season, winning the UEFA Champions League, on the back of their solid defence. On August 10, 2005, it was reported that Hyypiä had agreed to a new three-year contract after weeks of talks with the Reds which would keep him at Anfield until 2008. During the 2005–06 season he was relegated to third-choice captain after Jamie Carragher's ascent as Gerrard's deputy on the field. During the season he climbed into the top 25 in the club's all-time appearances table after featuring in the Carling Cup against Arsenal in January 2007. Despite speculation in the summer of 2007 linking him to Fulham, Newcastle United, Reading and Wigan Athletic, Hyypiä insisted that he will stay until the end of his contract. On August 25, 2007 Hyypiä broke his nose during an away match against Sunderland in the Stadium of Light. He quickly returned on the pitch to play against Toulouse in the Champions League qualifying match on August 28, 2007, in which he scored the second goal for Liverpool while wearing the captain's armband in the absence of Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher. On the 15th of January 2008 Sami Hyypiä helped himself with a goal against Luton in the 5-0 win in the FA cups 3rd round. Honours Player *FA Cup: 2 (2001, 2006) *League Cup: 2 (2001, 2003) *FA Community Shield: 2 (2001, 2006) *UEFA Champions League: 1 (2005) *UEFA Cup: 1 (2001) *UEFA Super Cup: 2 (2001, 2005) Individual *No. 38 on 100 Players Who Shook The Kop (2006) *No. 10 on 100 Players Who Shook The Kop (2013) *PFA Team of the Year: 2 (1999-2000, 2001-02) *UEFA Team of the Year: 1 (2001) *Premier League Player of the Month: 1 (November 1999) *Selected as Goal.com central defender of the decade and in the team of the decade: December 2009 *Finnish Sports Person of the Year: 1 (2001) *Finnish FA Player of the Year: 9 (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010) Stats External links * Hyypia Hyypia Hyypia